The Days That Came After
by DatOneAsian
Summary: Sequel to 'The Day That Never Came.' Natsu's back but something is amiss. When things go from perfect to horrible, Lucy must take on a new trial. Nalu!


**CHAPTER ONE: He's Back**

"Hey Luce... Did you miss me? I told you not to forget me... I said I would come back..."

"N-n-n... NATSU!!!" Lucy yelled as she bursted into tears, running into Natsu's arms. "Natsu... I waited, but you never came in those 2 years, I was starting to forget..."

"Luce I would never break my word to anyone, especially you..." Natsu replied, he seemed calmer now than Lucy remembered.

"What happened? Why did you leave an extra 2 years?" Lucy managed to say between sobs, as she was holding onto Natsu as if she would never let go again.

"Well, I kinda had some extra training come up, and I wanted to surprise you with it... I didn't realize it was 4 years..." Natsu said as he put his head on top of Lucy's. He held her close, and wished this moment would never end.

"You dummy... You almost made us forget, you almost... You almost made me forget the boy I loved!" Lucy said slightly angrily, and her words shocked Natsu a bit.

"Well, after 4 years, can you still love me?"

"Of course I can. I waited forever to say it... Natsu I... I love you." Lucy said in a whisper, as to not make the whole crowd a part of this important moment.

"Well, I... I love you too Lucy. And I promise I'll never leave you again... Never, and I never break my word."

Natsu kissed the top of Lucy's head, but Lucy then looked up, and planted a kiss on Natsu's lips.

He was a little surprised, but he returned the kiss, and then they just hugged for a while.

"You have no idea how long I've waited to do that..." Lucy said, as she started to move away from Natsu, and then she looked up. "He's still Natsu, but he's older now... He's about 21 now, since his birthday, is today... " Lucy thought.

"What are you thinking in your gorgeous mind right now?" Natsu asked, but he ultimately knew the answer.

"You, of course." Lucy replied. Then hugged him again.

"NATSU!!!" A blue cat wailed as he flew right into Natsu.

"Happy!" Natsu said as he gave Happy a hug. "I'm back."

"Aye Natsu!"

"But on a serious note, what are we gonna do about the this battle? One of us has to move on..." Natsu said, but the thought of hitting Lucy was unthinkable to him.

"Don't worry, I'll just forfeit, your way stronger now. I believe that you can win." Lucy said as she slowly backed away, just holding Natsu's hands.

"No, I know your way stronger too Lucy. You've just been hiding it the whole time haven't you? So, I'm gonna solve this in a different way..." Natsu said getting a certain grin on his face.

"What certain thing? Natsu your making a face you would make 4 years ago when you were gonna do something stu-" Lucy said as Natsu interrupted her.

"Listen up! I'm not gonna lose this battle... But either is Lucy! I find myself unable to fight this battle!" Natsu said and then looked at Lucy, "Luce back me up here..."

"A-and I too am unable to fight either!" Lucy said, at least she thought she was supposed to say that.

"Thanks... So either you give us a tie or that pretty little booth you're in, won't exist in a couple seconds!" Natsu yelled as he pointed right at the announcers.

"Aggghhhhhhh!!! O-of co-course we'll gi-give you the tie!!! JUST DONT HURT US!!!" The announcer said as people were scrambling around behind him.

"Natsu... Still the same old you..." Lucy said, and then they walked out of the arena together.

"You know it Luce!" He said putting on a huge smile.

"Aye! Everything will be like it used to be now!" A happy Happy said, flying behind Natsu and Lucy.

Then the announcer came back on... "Well... We must move onto the next round... Which is Gray vs Sting! Let's get this match started!"

(I'll go in depth for these battles with magic and stuff, but not super in depth, just not like before during the tournament.)

Gray walked into the arena, and watched as a blonde boy, Sting, walked into the arena.

"You're gonna go down Sting! I ain't losing now that I know Natsu's here!" Gray had the most dedicated smirk anyone could ever had.

"Yeah keep telling yourself that, but I haven't fought Natsu in ages, and I'm dying for another one." Sting replied, with that same old look as 4 years ago.

Gray changed to his Ice Devil Slayer form, and his hair went up, and on his right arm was the symbol of the Ice Devil Slayer.

"Ice Devil's Rage!!" Gray shouted and a blast of purple came out of Gray's mouth, shooting directly at Sting.

"White Dragon's Roar!!" Sting returned the attack, making a clash of purple and, not really a color, but light. This lasted for about 10 seconds, but Sting finally gave up, but Gray was still going. Due to the fact that Devil Slayer Magic and Dragon Slayer Magic are different. Devil Slayer Magic doesn't take up as much magic, especially when the user has already been trained in the magic they use for Devil Slayer Magic.Like Gray using Ice Devil Slayer Magic.

"Aww crap!" Sting said as the Ice Devil's Roar came closer, "White Dragon's Holy Breath!!" Causing an explosion of light to cover Gray, two thirds the size of the arena.

"Ice Make: Shield!" Gray put up a shield to protect himself, and then once Sting's White Dragon Holy Breath, Sting appeared right I front of Gray's shield.

"It's futile Gray, you can't win!" Sting said as his fist plummeted into Gray's shield, shattering it to pieces.

"My shield shouldn't be broken that easily!" Gray yelled in shock, then realizing that Sting was using White Drive! Using White Drive allowed him the physical strength to break Gray's shield... He has to be pretty strong now.

"Ice Make: Silver!" Gray shouted as he gestured with his right hand, freezing the whole area I front of him, but Sting didn't freeze, he jumped up into the air, and was coming down onto Gray. "Ice Make: Hammer!!" Gray yelled as a giant ice hammer appeared, and started to fall onto Sting.

"Your normal Ice Magic has no effect on me Gray, it's useless!" Sting said, clearly paying no attention to the hammer, thinking it was just, well, normal.

"Well then you haven't seen me use my Ice Make: Silver before, because it enhances all Ice Magic that I use!" Gray informed Sting as he brought it down on him.

"What?!" Sting looked up to see the hammer 3 feet away, and his only option, breaking it! "Light Dragon's Claw!" And he slashed the hammer in two.

"Ice Devil's Zeroth Destruction Bow!!" As Gray made a bow out of ice, and shot straight at Sting.

"This could be the end!" Sting thought as he tried to figure out what to do. And then, Sting just simply moved over a 10 feet. "Ha, that's a lame move!"

"Or maybe not! And your just to naive to see that!" Gray shouted as the arrow started to curve, and go straight at Sting.

"What?! I should have seen that coming..." And Sting started to continually move around, being in White Drive helped him in speed, but he couldn't find a way to evade the arrow. Sting finally came down onto the ground, and was about to use some dragon slayer magic... When the arrow just disappeared. He looked all around him for it, but it was gone. "Ha! Your magic must have run out!" Sting yelled in triumph while pointing to Gray.

"Ice Devil's Zeroth Long Sword." Gray had an ice long sword now, and ran full speed at Sting, "I'm winning this match!" Gray slashed his sword, and he knew he at least cut Sting, cause he felt it pull back as he slash at some point, and more obviously there was blood on the sword.

"Gaaauhh! Cauuhgh!" Sting coughed up blood from his mouth, and yelled in pain. Gray had managed to cut a giant gash into Sting's side. "Dang you Fullbuster! I'm not done yet!" Sting hollered as he got off his knees and on to his feet.

"Sting you're in no condition to fight, just give up!" Gray shouted, as he didn't want to go too far with this battle.

"Holy Nova!!" And Sting's fists lit up with light, "I'm ending this...Gah! Now..." Sting managed to say, and started to charge Gray.

Gray still had his long sword, so upon Sting's first punch, he blocked with his long sword, and it was obliterated!

"Crap! He's too strong!" Gray said to himself as he knew what was coming next. Gray felt his gut intensify, as Sting's other hand punched him. Then proceeded to explode, and sent Gray flying a few feet, and leaving behind blood.

"I'm sorry Gray... But I had to..." Sting said as he turned around to walk away.

"I'm not gonna lose! Not unless it's to Natsu!" Gray refuses to be put in submission, and he was severely injured, maybe even more than Sting. Then Gray coughed up some blood, and stood back on his feet.

"Devil Wrath!" And Gray was engulfed in black and purple ice.

Casssshhhhhinnnkk!! Gray broke out of the ice, and revealed himself in a devil mode, similar to dragon mode, but for devil slayers. Gray's hair was spiked up, all the way, and he had purple ice sticking out from his shoulders elbows and knees. It looked as though he was wearing a black cloak, but underneath, his skin was black, all the way up to his chin. His feet looked kinda dragon like, but they were demon feet.

"I was hoping to save this for later... But I have no choice now..." Gray said as he suddenly disappeared, and showed up behind Sting. He then went on to punch Sting, right as he was turning around. Gray's fist hit Sting's fist, as Sting reacted, instinctively.

"Aghhh!!!!" Sting shouted as his fist had taken the force of Gray's punch, and was starting to freeze over. And to save the pain and misery, Gray punched Sting across the face to end the battle.

"Agh... I used too much magic this time..." Gray said, returning to his normal self. He then ran over to Sting and picked him up. "Man you're pretty heavy..." As he carried Sting to the hospital, completely ignoring his own wounds.


End file.
